[250 Tom]

Go with a 600 in the long run you will much happier with it. The little CBR is ok for back roads but its not something you want you want to ride on the expressway all day. I have yamaha 600 and I can run it all day 70 75 easily.

 

[250 Tom]

I have a yamaha fz6r. Its not highly strung. It has an upright stting posisition its vary comfey and handles like a dream. There are different models of 600 machines. This is not a crotch rocket. Power is easy to handle and you can still get out on expressway and ride all day something you really cant do on the little 250. I love my 250 but it has its limitations

 

[250 Tom]

Apologies, 250Tom - should have included the fz6 (it's now the fz8) in the list. Although it's a 600, it's a much different bike than the 600RRs - would you agree?

The Honda 599 is a similar bike... 600cc but not set up for the ragged edge.

Yes I complety agree. The 600 rr would not be a good bike for someone new to the sport. Wife had two of them and they are extreem performance machines. The 250 is a good place to start but it simply wont do everything you might want it to.